Fast-Track Training

I am noticing opportunities lately for basic CNC instruction within a concentrated timeframe. A community college near Modern Machine Shop’s main office just completed its manufacturing boot camps. A company I just came across offers 8-week training in CNC milling and CNC turning, along with job placement assistance. I don’t know enough about either of these programs to vouch for them, but in general, I think the idea is good. A nimble economy should provide opportunities for modular learning in which adults can quickly add needed skills.

One such opportunity I’ve been able to explore in more detail is the TechWorks program in Rockford, Illinois. This program has been serving the local manufacturing community for several years now by providing 6-week CNC instruction. Executive Director Dan Cataldi says one of the keys to the program’s success has been a willingness to suspend the program during times when there is a dip in hiring, so the program doesn’t ever produce more graduates than local manufacturing needs. The goal is not graduates, he says; the goal is jobs.